I dreamt about the house I'm living in essentially, only it looked more woodsy and damp. The area surrounding was a lot more garden like, very lush, like a rainforest.
Last night (waking life) I was taking out the paper recycling and realize a big slug had mixed itself up in the bag. I grabbed some paper towel cause I didnt want to get the slime all over me. I threw him back into nature.
I think this affected my dream.
I had found a frog outside and decided to adopt it. (I would have forgotten about this dream entirely, but "frog" symbolism kept popping up today). It was an angry looking frog... just had a disgruntled face for some reason. He was really tiny and olive green with spots on him.
I don't remember how but suddenly I acquired a bearded dragon lizard. It too, was also very small. It was green and orange and yellow, and extremely animated. The lizard loved me and I loved it, and it behaved like a playful kitten and a loyal puppy combined. We communicated very psychically, and it felt like we could totally get our expressions across to each other. I would tell it to "come here" in my mind and it would come right up and onto my chest and snuggle me. I would stroke it like a cat.
I was snuggling with the lizard when suddenly it FREAKED out (like when you step on a cats tail). Its pores were all extended and it looked very frightened. I looked in the direction it was hissing at, and it was the frog, looking equally sketched out and adrenaline fuming. "Oh shit..." I thought. I had to get the frog out. I remembered that the frog was wild and the lizard was not.
I grabbed some paper towel and picked up the frog and threw him outside. I went back to my room to check on the lizard, and was a little panicked to not see it anywhere right away. I called out to it (in my head) and it emerged from the sheets of the bed, a little frightened looking still. I held it close to my chest and warmed it up.
I remember a mirror in the room, and friends being close to the house but I dont remember seeing them. Thats the last I recollect.
***This reminds me (very parallel) of the situation where I ran into a kitty on Stanley street in Fernwood. Brought it home, hung out with Zayn Toni and the cat and it was like my companion for a few hours, following me everywhere and being super playful and snuggly. I then took it to the square to introduce it to Hannah\Kevins' cat Django, and sure enough he was out of the house and lurking in the square. The small cat tried to confront Django but Django got totally alpha and they got in a crazy fight. Django nearly killed the smaller cat, I had to shoo him out of there and intervene the catfight. Eventually got the smaller kitten back to my house, and when he scratched the door and wanted to leave, I said goodbye...*
The frog represents the transition from the Element of earth to that of
water, and vice versa. This connexion with natural fecundity is an attribute derived from its amphibious character (50), and for the same reason it is also a lunar
animal; there are many legends which tell of a frog on the moon, and it figures in
many rites invoking rainfall (17). In Egypt, it was an attribute of Herit, the
goddess who assisted Isis in her ritual resurrection of Osiris. The little frogs
which appeared in the Nile a few days before it overflowed its banks were,
therefore, regarded as heralds of fertility (39). According to Blavatsky, the frog was one of the principal beings associated with the idea of creation and resurrection, not only because it was amphibious but because of its alternating periods of
appearance and disappearance (phases which likewise characterise all lunar animals). Frog-gods were once placed upon mummies and the early Christians incorporated them into their symbolic system (9). The toad is the antithesis of the
frog, as the wasp is of the bee. Jung rounds off all this with his comment that,
given its anatomy, the frog, more than any other of the cold-blooded animals,
anticipates Man; And Ania Teillard recalls that in the centre of his picture of The
Temptation of St. Anthony, Bosch places a frog, with the head of a very aged
human being, poised upon a platter held up by a Negress. Here it represents the
highest stage of evolution. Hence, the frequency of the ‘transformation of prince
into frog’ in legends and folktales (56).
To see a frog in your dream, represents a potential for change or the unexpected. The frog may be a prince in disguise and thus, signify transformation, renewal or rebirth. Alternatively, the frog symbolizes uncleanness or fertility.
To see frogs leaping in your dream, indicate your lack of commitment. You have a tendency to jump from one thing to another. Alternatively, it may suggest that you are taking major steps toward some goal. It parallels your progress.
To dream that you are catching a frog, signifies your carelessness concerning your health.
To hear the sounds of a frog in your dream, indicates that you have not accomplished what you wanted.
To eat a frog in your dream, represents some unsavory or unpleasant task that you need to perform. If you swallow a whole frog in your dream, then there is something that you need to do or say, that is literally difficult to swallow. Consider the phrase "a frog in your throat" to suggest that you are unable to speak. You feel you have lost your voice.
Seeing a frog in your dream, represents a potential to change or to do the unexpected. The frog may be a prince in disguise. Alternatively, the frog may suggest uncleanness. Seeing frogs leaping in your dream, may indicate your lack of commitment. You have the tendency to jump from one thing to another. Alternatively, it may suggest that you are taking major steps toward some goal. Dreaming that you are catching a frog means your carelessness concerning your health. Hearing the sounds of a frog in your dream means that you visit with friends will not accomplish anything that you wanted it to.
Frog Meanings and Symbolism
When the frog jumps into your life it may indicate now is a time to find opportunities in transition. We see animal symbolism of transition with the frog in its unique growth cycle. The frog undergoes incredible transformations to reach the destination of full adulthood, and so do we as humans.
The frog understands what it is like to undergo some serious growing pains – and so it is a fantastic animal totem for teenagers as they sometimes struggle to find their place (in-betwix youth and adulthood) in society.
In many cultures the primary symbolic meaning of frogs deals with fertility. This is largely because these cultures observed Frogs laying enormous quantities of eggs, therefore making it a fertility symbol as well as a symbol of abundance.
A quick-list for animal symbolism of the frog includes:
Luck
Purity
Rebirth
Renewal
Fertility
Healing
Metamorphosis
Transitions
Dreaming
Opportunity
Intermediary
In Egypt we see the Frog-headed Heket who is an Egyptian goddess of birth(ing).
As a Celtic symbol meaning, the Frog was deemed lord over all the earth, and the Celts believed it represented curative or healing powers because of its connection with water and cleansing rains. More Western and European views focus on the Frog's three stages of development (egg, tadpole, fully formed amphibian) to symbolize resurrection and spiritual evolution. For these same reasons it is also a common Christian symbol for the holy trinity and resurrection. It is often seen in Christian art to express this symbolism.
In China the Frog is an emblem of Yin energy and thought of as good luck. Feng Shui practices recommend putting an image of a Frog in the east window of your home to encourage child birth and/or happy family life.
Frog energy is also considered to be a link between the living and the dead. An interesting ancient Asian custom was to place a jade frog in the mouth of the deceased to insure his/her spirit would pass safely into the spirit world. This custom was believed to allow the spirit of the deceased to speak more clearly to loved ones still living.
Frogs are also good luck symbols in Japan - especially for travelers. Images or charms were worn during long voyages to assure safety (particularly across water).
I have a friend, Albert who lives in Japan. He shared further Japanese wisdom animal symbolism of the frog. The Japanese word for frog is "kaeru." It is the same word meaning "return." So travelers carry a small frog amulet with the intent of returning safely home.
Further, small pebble-sized frog amulets are carried in their wallets so money will not be lost. You can meet my friend Albert via his studio here (Studio Sussler)
Ancient Hindus viewed the animal symbolism of frogs on a more cosmic levels, as they believe Frogs projected the world into orbit in space, and the frog was also thought to signify darkness.
Call upon the energy of the frog when:
You need to easily swim through some tough life-transitions
You need a little assurance while traveling
You are working to enhance your intuition, and strengthen your connection with the spirit world
Frog Meanings and Symbolism
When the frog jumps into your life it may indicate now is a time to find opportunities in transition. We see animal symbolism of transition with the frog in its unique growth cycle. The frog undergoes incredible transformations to reach the destination of full adulthood, and so do we as humans.
The frog understands what it is like to undergo some serious growing pains – and so it is a fantastic animal totem for teenagers as they sometimes struggle to find their place (in-betwix youth and adulthood) in society.
In many cultures the primary symbolic meaning of frogs deals with fertility. This is largely because these cultures observed Frogs laying enormous quantities of eggs, therefore making it a fertility symbol as well as a symbol of abundance.
A quick-list for animal symbolism of the frog includes:
Luck
Purity
Rebirth
Renewal
Fertility
Healing
Metamorphosis
Transitions
Dreaming
Opportunity
Intermediary
In Egypt we see the Frog-headed Heket who is an Egyptian goddess of birth(ing).
As a Celtic symbol meaning, the Frog was deemed lord over all the earth, and the Celts believed it represented curative or healing powers because of its connection with water and cleansing rains. More Western and European views focus on the Frog's three stages of development (egg, tadpole, fully formed amphibian) to symbolize resurrection and spiritual evolution. For these same reasons it is also a common Christian symbol for the holy trinity and resurrection. It is often seen in Christian art to express this symbolism.
In China the Frog is an emblem of Yin energy and thought of as good luck. Feng Shui practices recommend putting an image of a Frog in the east window of your home to encourage child birth and/or happy family life.
Frog energy is also considered to be a link between the living and the dead. An interesting ancient Asian custom was to place a jade frog in the mouth of the deceased to insure his/her spirit would pass safely into the spirit world. This custom was believed to allow the spirit of the deceased to speak more clearly to loved ones still living.
Frogs are also good luck symbols in Japan - especially for travelers. Images or charms were worn during long voyages to assure safety (particularly across water).
I have a friend, Albert who lives in Japan. He shared further Japanese wisdom animal symbolism of the frog. The Japanese word for frog is "kaeru." It is the same word meaning "return." So travelers carry a small frog amulet with the intent of returning safely home.
Further, small pebble-sized frog amulets are carried in their wallets so money will not be lost. You can meet my friend Albert via his studio here (Studio Sussler)
Ancient Hindus viewed the animal symbolism of frogs on a more cosmic levels, as they believe Frogs projected the world into orbit in space, and the frog was also thought to signify darkness.
Call upon the energy of the frog when:
You need to easily swim through some tough life-transitions
You need a little assurance while traveling
You are working to enhance your intuition, and strengthen your connection with the spirit world
The frog is linked to the element of water and the cleansing powers of rain. It is associated with all rites of initiation connected with water. Just as a human being learns about the element of water first in the mother's womb, the frog spends its early life in the water as a tadpole. It has the power to summon rain by singing a certain song. People who possess the power of the frog are often good mediums or healers. This power enables them to cleanse their environment from any negative influences, and it is used to rid haunted places of ghosts or cure the sick from their illnesses. The frog is always the messenger announcing the start of new life. If the frog leaps into your dreams, it may be time for you to take a break, pay more attention to yourself, and cleanse yourself. This includes freeing yourself from circumstances in your life that are unpleasant and a burden. It is important to create a space for a new life.
The frog will teach you how to jump from materialism to spirituality.
Transformation, abundance, new waters of life abounds, reminds of emotional connections to mental, teaches how to cleanse and adapt, Are you being bogged down in old ways, drowning in emotions? They can show you how to change and add the water you need in your life. Frog can teach you to get in touch with your feelings and emotions and wash negativity and doubts away. Are you listening to your feelings and the voice of your heart? Are you getting bogged down in life - maybe it's time to leap forward with a new start?
To see a lizard in your dream, signifies your primal instincts and reactions toward sex, food, etc. and your anxieties toward these feelings. The lizard may also be representative of a person who you view as cold-blooded, fearful, or thick-skinned. On a more positive note, the lizard also symbolizes emerging creativity, renewal, and revitalization. It may suggest that you are well-grounded.
To dream of lizards, foretells attacks upon you by enemies.
If you kill a lizard, you will regain your lost reputation or fortune; but if it should escape, you will meet vexations and crosses in love and business.
For a woman to dream that a lizard crawls up her skirt, or scratches her, she will have much misfortune and sorrow. Her husband will be a victim to invalidism and she will be left a widow, and little sustenance will be eked out by her own labors.
Seeing a lizard in your dream means your primal instincts and reactions toward sex, food, etc. and your anxieties toward these feelings. The lizard can also be representative of a person who you view as cold-blooded, fearful, or thick-skinned. On a more positive note, the lizard also symbolizes emerging creativity, renewal, and revitalization. It may also suggest that you are well-grounded.
Lizard Meanings and Symbolism
I've gotten a few questions about animal symbolism surrounding dream lizards, and what it means when we dream of lizards so I was prompted to write a few thoughts about this unique messenger.
They are flexible and adaptive to their environment, and the human psyche translates this as being symbolic of going with the flow and overcoming adverse external conditions.
Due to their scurrying natures, quick pace and lightning reaction times, the lizard is considered the consummate escape artist. This makes them symbolic of our ability to recognize danger and remove ourselves from harm's way when the situation calls for it.
Within the human collective consciousness, dream lizards can be symbolic of:
Adaptation
Variation
Flexibility
Shrewdness
Quickness
Introversion
Lizards win many of these attributes due to their cold blooded nature.
Furthermore, most lizards are gifted with various forms of camouflage, and trickery to allude predators (like detaching their tails of caught by a hungry predator so that the lizard can escape to live another day).
These gifts of illusion are symbolic messages to us that within us (as children of nature ourselves) we have impressive giftswe may utilize for our well-being.
The lizard comes with a message about our responsibility to recognize these hidden gifts and skills so that we may avoid harm, and live freely and happily as we are designed to live.
The lizard symbolizes the dream world beyond time and space. It dreams of the future. The lizard teaches how to use dreams to create a future reality. Since it can see into the future, it always knows in advance what will happen. This includes self-fulfilling prophecies. One dreams of a situation, and then it is up to the dreamer to decide whether to continue fueling this situation and, thus, make it real or not. The lizard encourages you to look more closely at your dreams and your shadow in detail. Have you seen your future, your hopes, or your fears? The teaching holds that you are responsible for every single event in your life, consciously or not, because everything that happens springs from your wishes and fears.
The lizard brings into your awareness your subconscious hopes and fears so that through the light of day they can be acknowledged.
Teaches listening to intuition in dreams, visions and perceptions throughout the day. Be aware of the emotions surrounding your impressions. Aids in illuminating fears and doubts and how to change them. Lizard can teach about objective and compassionate detachment. Do you need time to rest and relax or step back from a situation? Is it time to move forward? When lizard appears, listen carefully to your inner guidance of feelings and emotions. He will give strength in taking the next steps.
Seeing your or someone else's pet in your dream, represents civilized instincts. You are keeping your temper in line. Alternatively, it indicates a need for love and acceptance. You are lacking attention from others and are feeling neglected. The pet may also be a pun for "petting" as in some sexual behavior. Seeing a pet that has been dead for awhile, suggests that something that you had thought was left in the past is coming back to haunt you. Similarly to seeing your childhood home, a past pet serves the same function as trying to bring you back into that particular time period. A situation in your current life may parallel a situation in your past and the dream is providing a means of resolving it.
All combats are the expression of a conflict of some sort. A great many
fights, dances and simulacra are rites, or the vestiges of rites, which express
situations of conflict. In Sweden, according to Eliade, combats are enacted on
horseback by two sets of riders personifying winter and summer. Usener ascribed
a similar meaning to the combat between Xanthos and Melanthos—the fair one
and the dark one. On the other hand, the struggle may correspond to the primordial, cosmogonic sacrifice, such as the sacrifice of Tiamat (or Tiawath) by Marduk.
Struggles between the gods of vegetation and of drought (such as Osiris and Set)
or between good and evil (Ahuramazda and Ahriman or Angramainyu, for example) modify the plane of conflict accordingly. Broadly speaking, the struggle is
that of generation or involves antithetically opposed elements (17). For our part,
we would suggest that the combats of Roman gladiators reflected an ancestral,
mythic and symbolic background with the retiarius (or net-fighter) as the counterpart of Neptune and Pisces (symbolic of the celestial ocean, and the all-embracing god armed with the trident, as a sign of triple power, and with the net);
likewise, the mirmillo was Cancer (the sun, or the son armed with a sword).
To dream that you engage in a fight, denotes that you will have unpleasant encounters with your business opponents, and law suits threaten you.
To see fighting, denotes that you are squandering your time and money.
For women, this dream is a warning against slander and gossip.
For a young woman to see her lover fighting, is a sign of his unworthiness.
To dream that you are defeated in a fight, signifies that you will lose your right to property.
To whip your assailant, denotes that you will, by courage and perseverance, win honor and wealth in spite of opposition.
To dream that you see two men fighting with pistols, denotes many worries and perplexities, while no real loss is involved in the dream, yet but small profit is predicted and some unpleasantness is denoted.
To dream that you are on your way home and negroes attack you with razors, you will be disappointed in your business, you will be much vexed with servants, and home associations will be unpleasant.
To dream that you are fighting negroes, you will be annoyed by them or by some one of low character.
To see a parallel line in your dream, suggests that you like to avoid conflict and confrontation. The dream may also be highlighting how you are too linear in your thinking.
The Egyptians associated the cat with the moon, and it was sacred to the
goddesses Isis and Bast, the latter being the guardian of marriage (57). A secondary symbolism is derived from its colour; the black cat is associated with darkness and death.
To see a cat in your dream, symbolizes an independent spirit, feminine sexuality, creativity, and power. It also represents misfortune and bad luck. The dream symbol has different significance depending on whether you are a cat lover or not. The cat could indicate that someone is being deceitful or treacherous toward you. If the cat is aggressive, then it suggests that you are having problems with the feminine aspect of yourself. If you are afraid of the cat in your dream, then it suggests that you are fearful of the feminine. The dream may be a metaphor for "cattiness" or someone who is "catty" and malicious. If you see a cat with no tail, then it signifies a loss of independence and lack of autonomy.
To dream that a cat is biting you, symbolizes the devouring female. Perhaps you are taking and taking without giving. You may be expressing some fear or frustration especially when something is not going as planned.
To dream that a cat is scratching you, suggests that you are feeling threatened.
To see a black cat in your dream, indicates that you are experiencing some fear in using your psychic abilities and believing in your intuition. You may erroneously associate the black cat with evil, destruction, and bad luck. In particular, if the black cat is biting, clawing or attacking you, then the dream means that you must acknowledge what your intuition is trying to tell you. You can no longer ignore it. Do not be afraid to face the situation. If you see a white cat, then it denotes difficult times.
To dream that a cat killed a spider, suggests that you are expressing your femininity in a seductive and cunning manner rather than in an overtly and almost destructive way.
This is a bad dream. This indicates treachery and fraud. Killing a cat indicates
discovery of enemies.
Seeing a cat in your dream means much misfortune, treachery, and bad luck. However, for the cat lover, cats means an independent spirit, feminine sexuality, creativity, and power. If the cat is aggressive, then it suggests that you are having problems with the feminine aspect of yourself. If you see a cat with no tail, then it means a lost of independence and lack of autonomy. Dreaming that a cat is biting you, symbolizes the devouring female. Perhaps you are taking and taking without giving. You may be expressing some fear or frustration especially when something is not going as planned.. Seeing a black cat in your dream indicates that you are experiencing some fear in using your psychic abilities and believing in your intuition. You may erroneously associate the black cat with evil, destruction, and bad luck. If you see a white cat, then it means difficult times. Dreaming that a cat killed a spider, suggests that you are expressing your femininity in a seductive and cunning manner rather than in an overtly and almost destructive way.
Cats have both positive and negative connotations. You need to consider all of the details in the dream in order to obtain accurate interpretation. The cat can be a symbol of sexuality, femininity, prosperity and power. A cat is also an independent animal, and in your dream you may be associating yourself or someone else with these characteristics. Usually the dream is telling you about yourself and not others. Historically black cats have been symbols of evil and bad luck. If you are a cat lover and have one as a pet, the symbolism may not apply to your dream. Old, superstition-based dream interpretations say that a cat is a bad omen and that you can expect deceit from those that you trust
Cat Symbolism
As an ancient symbolic Celtic animal, the cat represents the guardian of the Otherworld (or Underworld, depending which texts you read from various regions). Stoic, silent and mysterious, cats fit the bill of Otherworld guardians quite well. They keep the secrets of the Otherworld eternally to themselves, as they gaze with guile upon a world that does not see or understand the depth of their knowledge. However, black cats in Celtic lore were considered evil, and were sacrificed.
In Western tradition, black cats have been associated with witchcraft. This is due to black being associated with supposed perils of the night, and the cat is associated with transformation just as the veil of night shifts our perception of reality.
However, in Ancient Rome the cat was sacred to Diana, the moon goddess. Here the cat was also considered a guardian of homes and a symbol of domestic goodness.
In Muslim lore, the cat is honored for saving Mohammad from an attack by a fierce snake. Here it is believed the “M” marking on the forehead of many tabby cats is the mark of the prophet (”M” for Mohammad).
In Norse legend the cat is depicted drawing the chariot of their fertility goddess, Freyja, and therefore the cat is thought of as a blessing upon newborns and a good omen for those increasing their family ranks.
In ancient Egypt cats were sacred and were even depicted on the head of their lunar goddess, Bastet which was worshipped by the ancient Egyptians. In her honor, cats were even mummified along with mice for them to eat.
Here's a quick-list for cat animal symbolism:
Astute
Clever
Secretive
Mysterious
Intelligent
Intuitive
Supernatural
Watchfulness
Selective
Independent
Cats themselves are quite resourceful and tend to give us messages of change, flexibility of adaptability. Often, when a cat makes an uncommon appearance in our lives it is a message for us to shake up our habitual routines and make some fresh changes in our lives, as well as be more flexible in our thinking.
Cats can also be quite aloof, and this too is often a message for us to distance ourselves from people or situations. Sometimes the best cure for a problem is to step away from it - the cat inherently realizes this, and we would be wise to recognize this need as well.
Lastly, the cat animal symbolism is about mystery. Unfortunately, its unpredictability has given the cat a bad name in some areas of folk lore, specifically witchcraft. When, in actuality, this is an asset that can be harnessed by us humans.
Sometimes displaying very strange behavior and antics, you can never really pin a cat down. Simply put, the cat animal symbolism is synonymous with creativity and psychic power because of its sometimes unorthodox & “mysterious” behavior. This is also reflected in the Tarot deck as we see the cat in the Queen of Wands card.
The good news is, this mystery is a message to us that we have the power over illusion. Cat animal symbolism reminds us to not fall prey to false beliefs, to not be a fool out of ignorance and derive understanding from our own internal wisdom. The cat beckons us to realize that when we turn within to our own hearts, minds and souls, and trust in ourselves we will always be shown the truth of matters.
The cat is the bearer of secrets. It knows all the old secrets that have been forgotten a long time ago. It moves freely through space and time. Since it maintains silence most of the time, it is difficult to learn the things that it knows. Seeing a cat (or any feline) in your dreams is a hint that there may be secrets within you or others of which you do not know. If the power of the cat is strong in a person, that person will have a very particular kind of perceptiveness. By using reflection, he will recognize the true selves of others along with his own identity. He will also discover the daily ritual of self-deception.
Magic, independence, clever, unpredictable, balance of energies and actions in life, mysteries will unfold in life if a cat has come around. Cat shows how to clarify perceptions which allows new ideas to manifest, encourages mental and emotional agility, aids in being resourceful and stealthy tactics, teaches courage and confidence. Do you need to be more independent? Are you using your resources the best of your ability? Is it time to start a new project? Cat will show how to continue the process of opening your intuition for soul growth.
Mystics have always traditionally considered the feminine aspect of
the universe as a chest, a house or a wall, as well as an enclosed garden. Another
symbolic association is that which equates the house (and the above, related
forms) with the repository of all wisdom, that is, tradition itself (4). In architectural symbolism, on the other hand, the house carries not only an overall symbolism but also particular associations attached to each of its component parts.
Nevertheless, the house as a home arouses strong, spontaneous associations with
the human body and human thought (or life, in other words), as has been confirmed empirically by psychoanalysts. Ania Teillard explains this by pointing
out that, in dreams, we employ the image of the house as a representation of the
different layers of the psyche. The outside of the house signifies the outward
appearance of Man: his personality or his mask. The various floors are related to
the vertical and spatial symbols. The roof and upper floor correspond to the head
and the mind, as well as to the conscious exercise of self-control. Similarly, the
basement corresponds to the unconscious and the instincts (just as sewers do, in
symbols pertaining to the city). The kitchen, since this is where foodstuff is
transformed, sometimes signifies the place or the moment of psychic transmutation in the alchemical sense. The intercommunicating rooms speak for themselves. The stairs are the link between the various planes of the psyche, but their
particular significance depends upon whether they are seen as ascending or descending. Finally, there is, as we have said, the association of the house with the
human body, especially regarding its openings, as was well understood by
Artemidorus Daldianus (56).
To see a house in your dream, represents your own soul and self. Specific rooms in the house indicate a specific aspect of your psyche. In general, the attic represents your intellect, the basement represents the unconscious, etc. If the house is empty, then it indicates feelings of insecurity. If the house is shifting, then it suggests that you are going through some personal changes and changing your belief system. To dream that a house has no walls, represents a lack of privacy. You feel that everyone is looking over your shoulder or up in your business.
To dream that you are cleaning your house, signifies your need to clear out your thoughts and get rid of old ways. You are seeking self-improvement.
If you live with others in your waking life, but dream that you are living alone, suggests that you need to take new steps toward independence. You need to accept responsibilities and be more self-reliant.
To see an old, run-down house in your dream, represents your old beliefs, attitudes and how you used to think or feel. A situation in your current life may be bringing about those same old attitudes and feelings. Alternatively, the old house may symbolize your need to update you mode of thinking. To dream that your house is damaged, indicates your waking concerns about the condition of your house.
To see a new house in your dream, indicates that you are entering into a new phase or new area in your life. You are becoming more emotionally mature. If you are locked out of the house, then it represents rejection and insecurity. You feel you are being left behind.
To dream that your house is broken into, suggests that you are feeling violated. It may refer to a particular relationship or current situation in your life. Alternatively, it indicates that some unconscious material is attempting to make itself known. There are some aspects of yourself that you have denied.
To dream of a haunted house, signifies unfinished emotional business, related to your childhood family, dead relatives, or repressed memories and feelings.
To dream that a house has disappeared, indicates that you are not feeling grounded. You feel uprooted by a particular circumstance or relationship in your life.
To dream that water is rising up in your house, suggests that you are becoming overwhelmed by your emotions.
To dream of building a house, you will make wise changes in your present affairs.
To dream that you own an elegant house, denotes that you will soon leave your home for a better, and fortune will be kind to you.
Old and dilapidated houses, denote failure in business or any effort, and declining health.
Seeing a house in your dream, represents your own soul and self. Specific rooms in the house indicate a specific aspect of your psyche. In general, the attic represents your intellect, the basement represents the unconscious, etc. If the house is empty, then it indicates feelings of insecurity. If the house is shifting, then it suggests that you are going through some personal changes and changing your belief system. Dreaming that you are cleaning your house means your need to clear out your thoughts and getting rid of old ways. You are seeking self-improvement. Seeing an old, run-down house in your dream, represents your old beliefs, attitudes and how you used to think or feel. A situation in your current life may be bringing about those same old attitudes and feelings. Alternatively, the old house may symbolize your need to update you mode of thinking. Dreaming that your house is broken into, suggests that you are feeling violated. It may refer to a particular relationship or current situation in your life. Alternatively, it indicates that some unconscious material is attempting to make itself known. There are some aspects of yourself that you have denied. Dreaming of a haunted house means unfinished emotional business, related to your childhood family, dead relatives, or repressed memories and feelings. Dreaming that a house disappeared, indicates that you are not feeling grounded. You feel uprooted by a particular circumstance or relationship in your life.
It is common to dream about houses. They usually symbolise our emotional and psychological selves. All of your experiences, stages of development, and parts of your conscious and unconscious life may be represented by that house. The house may be representing issues concerning a particular dilemma in your life, or it may be more general and comprehensive. Either way, if you pay attention to the details in this dream, you may learn a thing or two about yourself.
A fabulous animal and a universal, symbolic figure found in the
majority of the cultures of the world—primitive and oriental as well as classical.
A morphological study of the legendary dragon would lead to the conclusion that it is a kind of amalgam of elements taken from various animals that are particularly aggressive and dangerous, such as serpents, crocodiles, lions as well as
prehistoric animals (38). Krappe believes that the amazement occasioned by the
discovery of the remains of antediluvian monsters may have been a contributory
factor in the genesis of the mythic dragon. The dragon, in consequence, stands for
‘things animal’ par excellence, and here we have a first glimpse of its symbolic
meaning, related to the Sumerian concept of the animal as the ‘adversary’, a
concept which later came to be attached to the devil. Nevertheless, the dragon—
like all other symbols of the instincts in the non-moral religions of antiquity—
sometimes appears enthroned and all but deified, as, for example, in the standards
and pennons pertaining to the Chinese Manchu dynasty and to the Phoenicians
and Saxons (4). In a great many legends, overlaying its deepest symbolic sense,
the dragon appears with this very meaning of the primordial enemy with whom
combat is the supreme test. Apollo, Cadmus, Perseus and Siegfried all conquer
the dragon. In numerous masterpieces of hagiography, the patron saints of knighthood—St. George and St. Michael the Archangel—are depicted in the very act of
slaying the monster; there is no need to recall others than the St. George of
Carpaccio, or of Raphael, or the St. Michael of Tous by Bermejo. For Dontenville
(16), who tends to favour an historicist and sociological approach to the symbolism of legends, dragons signify plagues which beset the country (or the individual
if the symbol takes on a psychological implication). The worm, the snake and the
crocodile are all closely linked with the concept of the dragon in their own particular way. In France, the dragon is also related to the ogre as well as to Gargantua
and giants in general. In Schneider’s view, the dragon is a symbol of sickness (51).
But before going further into its meaning, let us quote some examples to show
how widespread are the references to this monster. The classics and the Bible
very frequently allude to it, providing us with detailed information about its
appearance, its nature and habits. But their descriptions point to not one but
several kinds of dragon, as Pinedo has noted: ‘Some give it the form of a winged
serpent; it lives in the air and the water, its jaws are immense, it swallows men and
animals having first killed them with its enormous tail. Conversely, others make
it a terrestrial animal, its jaws are quite small, its huge and powerful tail is an
instrument of destruction, and it also flies and feeds upon the blood of the animals
it kills; there are writers who consider it to be amphibious, in which case its head
becomes that of a beautiful woman with long flowing hair and it is even more
terrible than the previous versions.’ In the Bible, there are the following references to the dragon: Daniel xiv, 22, 27; Micah i, 8; Jeremiah xiv, 6; Revelation xii,
3, 7; Isaiah xxxiv, 13, and xliii, 20. There are further mentions by Rabanus Maurus (Opera, III), Pliny (VIII, 12), Galen, Pascal (De Coronis, IX), and among other
characteristics which these writers ascribe to the dragon are the following particularly interesting points: that it is strong and vigilant, it has exceptionally keen
eyesight, and it seems that its name comes from the Greek word derkein (‘seeing’). Hence it was given the function, in clear opposition to its terrible implications, of guarding temples and treasures (like the griffin), as well as being turned
into an allegory of prophecy and wisdom. In the Bible, it is the negative side of
the symbol which receives emphasis; it is interesting to note that the anagram of
Herod in Syrian—ierud and es—means ‘flaming dragon’ (46). Sometimes the
dragon is depicted with a number of heads and its symbolism then becomes
correspondingly unfavourable, given the regressive and involutive sense of all
numerical increase. ‘And behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten
horns, and seven crowns upon his heads
(’)
, in the words of Revelation (xii, 3). On
other occasions, the dragon is used in emblems, in which case it is the symbolism
of the form or shape which takes precedence over that of the animal, as for
example, the dragon biting its tail—the Gnostic Ouroboros, a symbol of all cyclic
processes and of time in particular. The dragon figured quite frequently in alchemy; for the alchemists, a number of dragons fighting with each other illustrated the state of putrefactio (separating out the Elements, or psychic disintegration). And the winged dragon represented the volatile element, while the wingless
creature stood for the fixed element (according to Albert Poison). It is perhaps in
China that this monster has been most utilized and has achieved its greatest
degree of transfiguration. Here it becomes an emblem of imperial power. Whereas
the Emperor numbered the five-clawed dragon among his ornaments, the officials
of his court had the right to keep only the four-clawed (5). According to Diel, the
generic dragon of China symbolizes the mastering and sublimation of wickedness
(15), because the implication is that of a ‘dragon conquered’, like that which
obeys St. George once he has overcome it. Frazer tells how the Chinese, when
they wish for rain, make a huge dragon out of wood and paper and carry it in
procession; but if it does not rain, then they destroy the dragon (21). Chuang-tzu
maintains that this arises from the fact that the dragon and the serpent, invested
with the most profound and all-embracing cosmic significance, are symbols for
‘rhythmic life’. The association of dragon/lightning/rain/fecundity is very common in archaic Chinese texts (17), for which reason the fabulous animal becomes
the connecting-link between the Upper Waters and earth. However, it is impossible to generalize about the dragon of Chinese mythology, for there are subterranean, aerial and aquatic dragons. ‘The earth joins up with the dragon’ means that
it is raining. It plays an important part as an intermediary, then, between the two extremes of the cosmic forces associated with the essential characteristics of the
three-level symbolism, that is: the highest level of spirituality; the intermediary
plane of the phenomenal life; and the lower level of inferior and telluric forces. A
related and powerful part of its meaning is that of strength and speed. The oldest
Chinese images of the dragon are very similar to those of the horse (13). In
esoteric Chinese thought, there are dragons which are linked with colour-symbolism: the red dragon is the guardian of higher science, the white dragon is a lunar
dragon. These colours derive from the planets and the signs of the Zodiac. In the
Middle Ages in the Western world, dragons make their appearance with the throat
and legs of an eagle, the body of a huge serpent, the wings of a bat and with a tail
culminating in an arrow twisted back upon itself. This, according to Count Pierre
Vincenti Piobb, signifies the fusion and confusion of the respective potentialities
of the component parts: the eagle standing for its celestial potential, the serpent
for its secret and subterranean characteristic, the wings for intellectual elevation,
and the tail (because the form is that of the zodiacal sign for Leo) for submission
to reason (48). But, broadly speaking, present-day psychology defines the dragonsymbol as ‘something terrible to overcome’, for only he who conquers the dragon
becomes a hero (56). Jung goes as far as to say that the dragon is a mother-image
(that is, a mirror of the maternal principle or of the unconscious) and that it
expresses the individual’s repugnance towards incest and the fear of committing
it (31), although he also suggests that it quite simply represents evil (32). Esoteric
Hebrew tradition insists that the deepest meaning of the mystery of the dragon
must remain inviolate (according to the rabbi Simeon ben Yochai, quoted by
Blavatsky) (9). The universal dragon (Katholikos ophis) of the Gnostics is the
‘way through all things’. It is related to the concept of chaos (‘our Chaos or Spirit
is a fiery dragon which conquers all things’—Philaletha, Introitus) and of dissolution (The dragon is the dissolution of bodies’). (The quotations are taken from the
Pseudo-Democritus.) Regarding symbols of dissolution, Hermetic doctrine uses
the following terms: Poison, viper, universal solvent, philosophical vinegar=the
potential of the undifferentiated (or the Solve), according to Evola. He adds that
dragons and bulls are the animals fought by sun-heroes (such as Mithras, Siegfried,
Hercules, Jason, Horus, or Apollo) and—bearing in mind the equations
woman=dragon, mercury and water; and green=’what is undigested’—that ‘if the
dragon reappears in the centre of the “Citadel of Philosophers” of Khunrath, it is
still a dragon which has to be conquered and slain: it is that which everlastingly
devours its own self, it is Mercury as an image of burning thirst or hunger or the
blind impulse towards gratification’, or, in other words, Nature enthralled and
conquered by Nature, or the mystery of the lunar world of change and becoming as opposed to the world of immutable being governed by Uranus. Böhme, in De
Signatura rerum, defines a will which desires and yet has nothing capable of
satisfying it except its own self, as ‘the ability of hunger to feed itself’ (Plate VI).
To see a dragon in your dream, represents your strong will and fiery personality. You tend to get carried away by your passion, which may lead you into trouble. You need to exercise some self-control.
In the eastern cultures, dragons are seen as spiritual creatures symbolizing good luck and fortune.
To dream that you are a dragon and breathing fire, suggests that you are using your anger to get your own way.
To dream of a dragon, denotes that you allow yourself to be governed by your passions, and that you are likely to place yourself in the power of your enemies through those outbursts of sardonic tendencies. You should be warned by this dream to cultivate self-control.
This large, mystical creature may represent large and mystical forces inside of you. In the Far East it is believed that the dragons are spiritual creatures that navigate through the air and through the sky. In the West, dragons are considered to be dangerous creatures that need to be destroyed. As far as dream symbols go, the dragon may represent the enormous power in your unconscious. It could symbolize repressed unconscious material, including fear. However, the dragon in our dreams is generally a positive symbol. It may represent a period of time when the dreamer will confront his fears and empower himself to effectively cope with negative emotions, extreme materialism, and be able to obtain greater inner and outer freedom.
A Dragon totem is one of the most powerful totems, representing a huge range of qualities, emotions, and traits. When Dragons come to us, it could mean many things.
The most common message a Dragon totem carry to us is a need for strength, courage, and fortitude. Dragons are also messengers of balance, and magic - encouraging us to tap into our psychic nature and see the world through the eyes of mystery and wonder.
More specifically, Dragons are the embodiment of primordial power - the ultimate ruler of all the elements. This is because the Dragon is the master of all the elements: Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind.
As a totem, the Dragon serves as a powerful guardian and guide. Encourage communication with your Dragon, and acknowledge your Dragon's presence as often as possible.
In Chinese culture, the season of the Dragon is mid-spring, its direction is east-southeast, and its fixed element is wood. See Chinese Dragon page for more inforamation on the Dragons within the Asian culture.
There are many ways to strengthen your bond with your Dragon totem. Here are a few suggestions:
Meditation upon your Dragon totem.
Begin collecting Dragon images that resonate with you. Keep these images close, and easily available to you. Look upon these images whenever you wish to communicate with your Dragon totem.
Better yet, begin drawing while communicating with your Dragon. Ask your Dragon to reveal itself to you through your drawing. Check out my friend Barbara's webpage offering free tips on how to draw dragons here!
Begin a Dragon totem journal
Read everything you can on Dragons. This will broaden your horizons, and expand your imagination. A warning though: By all means, never be limited by the scope of what you read. Ultimately, it is you and your Dragon that will create the perfect understanding. There is never a limit in matters of spirit - that includes matters concerning our totems (especially strong totems like the Dragon!).
A Dragon totem can be a powerful ally in our daily effort to live our lives. When we call upon the amazing restorative and potent qualities of the Dragon, we are able to effectively live our lives with the honestly, courage, and strength of a peaceful warrior.
Utilizing the symbolic power of the dragon totem is an internal process cultivated by contemplating the attributes of the dragon we admire and meditating upon these.
We can also honor the dragon totem externally by little actions like including dragon imagery in our lives. It solidifies my connection with the magic the dragon offers.
Whether you are an artist who looks to dragons for inspiration, or a business mogul identifying with a solid symbol of strength or luck - it's clear dragons speak to those special places within us, stoking the fires of our hearts.
The Dragon represents prosperity. This may be of spiritual (intuition) rather than materiaal riches, because the dragon was regarded as the guaridian of treasure that lay hidden deep within the unconscious and was hard to obtain.
(Ancient, most world culture) A legendary reptilian monster similar in form to a crocodile but with wings, huge claws, and fiery breath. In the Mesopotamian creation myth (Enuma Elish), dating from about 2000 BC, a dragon was considered a symbol for destruction and evil. So it was also considered in the writings of the ancient Hebrews. The Bible (Revelation) also so considers it. Dragons became more benign in later mythologies. The Greeks and Romans believed that they had the ability to understand and to teach mortals the secrets of the earth. Because of this duality, destruction and positive influence, it was often adopted as a military emblem; the Roman legions used it thusly as early as the first century AD. The folklore of northern Europe contains a similar interpretation of the dragon. Norsemen carved the prows of their ships with likenesses of the dragon. The ancient Celtic considered the dragon a symbol of sovereignty. The Teutonic invaders of Britain had dragons depicted on their shields. The dragon also figures in the folklore of Japan.
In China it is traditionally considered as a symbol of good fortune, and was the national emblem of the Chinese Empire. Unlike Middle Eastern or Western dragons, the Lungs (Chinese appelation for "dragons") were benevolent and brought rain, guarded sacred dwellings and such tasks.
There were four types:
1.The T'ien Lung, or Celestial Dragon
2.The Fu Tsang Lung or Treasure Dragon
3.The Ti Lung, or Earth Dragon
4.The Shen Lung, or Rain Dragon (also called Kung Kung)
The latter two Lungs are together known as the Wang Lung, and are propitiated as water deities, dwelling in the Seas. (This information is derived from the 17th century Ming classic San-ts`ai t`ui-hui or Threefold Picture Book. This was an illustrated encyclopedia.)
To see blank white paper in your dream, signifies your desire to make a fresh start in your life. You need to express yourself through writing or art. Alternatively, blank paper indicates that you need to work on being more communicative.
To see a stack of papers in your dream, denotes overwhelming responsibilities and stress that you are having to cope with. You are not effectively dealing with the issues at hand.
Seeing a blank white paper in your dream means your desire to make a fresh start in your life. It may represent you desire to express yourself through writing or art. You need to work on being more communicative. Seeing a stack of papers in your dream indicates overwhelming responsibilities and stress that you are having to cope with.
To remember something in your dream, indicates that you have learned something significant from your past mistakes or previous experiences. The dream may also serve as a reminder of something important that is occurring in your waking life. You are so worried that you will forget something that the preoccupation has made its way into your dream.
Dreaming that someone or something is smaller than usual, represents feelings of insignificance, helplessness and unworthiness. Alternatively, you may be literally trying to "knock" this person down to size. Perhaps it suggests that you or someone in your life has an inflated ego and need to be taught a lesson. Dreaming that you are small and everyone is normal sized, suggests that you are suffering from low self-esteem and/or a sense of helplessness. Perhaps you are being overlooked.